PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal (CoA) has upheld the life imprisonment sentence imposed on an unemployed man for kidnapping three Bangladeshis for ransom nine years ago.
The court’s three-member panel comprising Justices Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, Datuk P. Ravinthran and Datuk Nordin Hassan also upheld the high court order for Suhaimi Alias, 46, to be whipped 10 times.
In the court’s judgment dated July 7, Justice Ravinthran dismissed Suhaimi’s appeal against his conviction and sentence and ruled that there was no reason for the CoA to interfere with the high court’s decision.
He said there was overwhelming evidence in respect of the common intention of all the accused persons, including Suhaimi, to abduct the victims.
“They had impersonated police officers to bring the victims to a hotel room. The victims were blindfolded and confined in the room. This is a criminal act,” he said.
Suhaimi and two others Raja Mohd Hafiz Raja Shuib and Myanmar national Nobi Hussein Abutar, were charged with kidnapping the three Bangladeshis – Md Gholam Faruque, Mohamed Rafik and Sojib – for RM50,000 ransom at a mini market in Jalan Meru Klang, Selangor at 4 am on March 16, 2014.
Hafiz died during the course of the trial, and the charge against him was withdrawn in 2017.
The high court proceeded with the trial against Suhaimi and Nobi and convicted them at the end of the trial. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to be given 10 lashes of whipping.
In the 19-page judgment, Justice Ravinthran also said the court found that the 10 lashes of whipping is justified, based on the facts of the case where Suhaimi and his accomplices targeted vulnerable persons such as migrant workers.
“They impersonated police officers and abducted them. The ransom demanded was a huge sum.
“Two of the victims were badly beaten up, as the raiding officer told the court that they were immediately sent to the hospital after being rescued,” he said, adding that interference with the sentence of the high court is not warranted in all the circumstances of the case.
Nobi’s appeal against his conviction and sentence is fixed for hearing on July 26. – Bernama, July 13, 2023
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